Sayre Christian Village opens $14 million expansion

Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center opened the first phase of its $14 million expansion Wednesday, including a dementia care unit with 22 private rooms.

The new Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center, 3775 Belleau Wood Dr., in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, January 22, 2013. This initial phase of a $14 million expansion, includes the new Center for Orthopedic Care, which includes 19 private rooms for rehab services. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

Executive Director Bill English, and Administrator Ann Phillips in a patient room in the Center for Orthopedic Care during a tour of the Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center, 3775 Belleau Wood Dr., in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, January 22, 2013. This initial phase of a $14 million expansion, includes the new Center for Orthopedic Care, which includes 19 private rooms for rehab services. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

A resident's room in the Reflections of Life Communities during a tour of the Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center, 3775 Belleau Wood Dr., in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, January 22, 2013. This initial phase of a $14 million expansion, includes the new Center for Orthopedic Care, which includes 19 private rooms for rehab services. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

A view of other buildings at Sayre Christian Village see from a window of the Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center, 3775 Belleau Wood Dr., in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, January 22, 2013. This initial phase of a $14 million expansion, includes the new Center for Orthopedic Care, which includes 19 private rooms for rehab services. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

A common eating area makes it possible for family members to share meals with residents.
Herald-Leader

The new Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center, 3775 Belleau Wood Dr., in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, January 22, 2013. This initial phase of a $14 million expansion, includes the new Center for Orthopedic Care, which includes 19 private rooms for rehab services. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Herald-Leader

Sisters Kennetta Poynter, left, and Beverly Roberts moved their mother's belongings into her new room in the Reflections of Life Communities at the Sayre Christian Village Healthcare Center on Tuesday.
Herald-Leader

With rooms on the sides, the dementia care unit is a large open space with tables throughout, so family members can dine with the residents.

"I love this," said patient Alma Lansdale, who toured the home Tuesday before moving in Wednesday. "I don't like it; I love it."

Her daughter Linda Moore said, "I love the tables, so we can eat like a family."

In addition to the dementia care unit, the expansion includes the Center for Orthopedic Care, which offers rehabilitation services with 19 private rooms and a 5,300-square-foot therapy department.

Sayre Healthcare Center's administrator, Ann Phillips, said the goal is for services from the orthopedic center to help provide revenue to pay for the large expansion, which will see Sayre Christian Village's nursing home building expand from 40,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet. The non-profit has other buildings on its 25-acre campus that offer independent living and assisted living.

The second phase of the expansion of the site, on Belleau Wood Drive near Tates Creek Road, is expected to be completed in April, chief development officer John Dundon said.

That phase includes a palliative care unit for those at the end of life. The unit will include three suites with two rooms each, allowing families to be near their loved ones.

"The whole dying process is more dignified," Phillips said.

The expansion also will include a 6,000-square-foot multi-purpose room.

Because of the expansion, overall employment at the nonprofit, which was founded in 1973, is increasing by 45 employees to 260.